Make Yourself Heard!
In this space we will tell you about issues requiring immediate attention and action in the form of a letter, telephone call or email to the appropriate government official(s) or elected representative(s), attendance and/or testimony at a public meeting, hosting an event in your home or elsewhere in order to inform others about important issues, transporting the ederly or disabled to the polls, taking on duties as a poll worker, etc.
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Meetings Mean Business
As you may know, business and leisure travel are down considerably due to the current state of the economy. In particular, business meetings and large-scale events in Las Vegas, Orlando, San Diego and other cities have been canceled in response to recent negative comments made by government officials (including President Obama) and the media. The knee-jerk reaction to "punish" those companies receiving taxpayer bailouts is doing great harm to the entire travel industry and its many hard working employees, as well as the communities in which they live and work.
The following information is self-explanatory. Review it, then to write a letter, send an email, or place a phone call (or all three) to your elected representatives in the U. S. Senate and the House of Representatives, and to the White House.
Forward this information to friends, family and colleagues and urge them to take action.
Here's a link to the "Meetings Mean Business" web site created by the U. S. Travel Association:
The following link will help you find the email, phone number, and mailing address of your U. S. Senators, your Representative in the U. S. House, and other important government officials. Email is probably the easiest way to send your opinion, but you may want to follow up in writing or with a phone call.
http://capwiz.com/tia/directory/congdir.tt
This is a sample letter which you can edit and send to your Senators, your Representative, and the White House.
Dear: ____________________________,
I am writing to express my concern about a disturbing trend that has the potential to inflict significant damage on our local economy.
Recently, high-profile public companies that received emergency funding from the government have been vilified for using taxpayer dollars on travel for meetings, events and incentive programs. Critics of these companies have mislabeled meetings and events as lavish and unnecessary. As a result, any business that holds meetings or rewards its employees is thinking twice before it devotes resources to travel.
The consequences of a decline in travel for meetings and events are significant, considering that this type of travel creates $101 billion in spending and one million jobs. Every community in the country pays a high price when visitors decline.
When business meetings and incentive travel programs are demonized and canceled, American workers – not CEOs – are the ones who pay the price. Bellmen, maids, wait staff and other hourly wage employees – the backbone of our domestic workforce – are the first to lose their jobs as travel declines. In fact, without the jobs generated by meetings and events, the unemployment rate in the United States would jump from 7.6 percent to 8.2 percent.
Meetings and conventions also contribute nearly $16 billion in tax receipts at the federal, state and local level. Given the poor financial situation of America’s cities and states, cuts to the tax base of communities could mean additional cuts to essential public services.
Travel for meetings, events and incentives is a cost-effective tool that companies use to strengthen business relationships; align and educate employees and customers; and compensate emp loyees for business performance. Even Members of Congress have shared this perspective when reflecting on the benefits of their annual retreats.
In our weak economy, the last thing Congress should do is implement policies or spout overheated rhetoric that jeopardizes jobs and the local tax revenue my community depends upon. I urge you to oppose any measure that would unfairly restrict companies’ ability to use meetings, events and incentive travel as a legitimate business tool.
Sincerely,
White House says it encourages business travel
Press secretary: President believes strong tourism industry is important
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Barack Obama was not discouraging travel when he said last month that businesses receiving federal bailout money should not be taking junkets.
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Tax Day Tea Party
Videos:
Tea Parties Sweeping the Nation
We The People Stimulus Package
The Tax Day Tea Party is a national collaborative grassroots effort organized by Smart Girl Politics, Top Conservatives on Twitter, the DontGo Movement and many other online groups/coalitions.
The Tea Party protests, in their current form, began in early 2009 when Rick Santelli, the On Air Editor for CNBC, set out on a rant to expose the bankrupt liberal agenda of the White House Administration and Congress. Specifically, the flawed "Stimulus Bill" and pork filled budget.
During Rick's rant, he called for a "Chicago tea Party" where advocates of the free-market system could join in a protest against out of control government spending.
A few days later, grassroots activists and average Joe Americans began organizing what would soon become the Nationwide Chicago Tea Party effort.
City: Annapolis
When: April 15, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Where: Campbell Park (Dock/Boardwalk), Annapolis Harbor - Dock Street
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
FaceBook Group: CLICK HERE
City: Salisbury
When: April 15, 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Where: Downtown Salisbury
Contact: EMAIL
Other Info:
FaceBook Group: CLICK HERE
